1. Technical Field
The disclosure relates to an electrical component such as a battery having improved feed-through insulation and methods of manufacturing same.
2. Related Art
Batteries are commonplace in a wide variety of electrical applications. Improvements in battery life and failure rate are constantly being sought in order to achieve better longevity and performance. This is particularly true in implantable medical devices (IMD's) such as implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD's) where a long-lasting, failure free battery is critical.
Lithium batteries are commonly used in ICD's. For examples of such batteries, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,744,261 to Muffoletto et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,997 to Crespi et al. Cluster formation is a major failure mode in lithium batteries. For instance, lithium clusters (i.e., a steady growth of lithium crystals) can form between cathode and anode surfaces of the battery. Because lithium is a conductor, cluster formation can result in a short circuit when a cluster connects (i.e., forms a bridge between) a cathode surface and an anode surface. Such a short circuit can have severe implications to battery life and to its functionality. While cluster formation mechanisms are not well understood, insulation of the anode surfaces from the cathode surfaces is known to reduce cluster formation and to therefore mitigate early battery depletion and/or failure due to a short caused by a cluster.
Current ICD battery insulation schemes are designed to prevent physical contact between anode and cathode surfaces due to battery swelling, manufacturing variations, or mechanical disturbances such as vibration. However, these insulation schemes fail to adequately protect from cluster formations growing around the insulators and creating shorts. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for improved schemes and methods of insulation that better protect from cluster formation.
Additionally a number of known insulation schemes rely heavily on the use of adhesives, which increase the complexity and expense of battery manufacture. Furthermore, due to variability in the manufacturing process, the use of adhesives can introduce additional failure points in the insulation. Accordingly, there is also a need in the art for improved schemes and methods of insulation that reduce or eliminate the need for adhesives.